Valentine’s ceremony at Cedar Crest in Pequannock honors long-married couples

In a special commemorative ceremony held just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Cedar Crest Retirement Community honored over two dozen couples that have reached the remarkable milestone of having been married for five decades or more.

The ceremony, which was part of the Catholic Mass at the Cedar Crest Chapel on Sunday, Feb. 12, honored 27 couples who attended. All of the women received a rose, and the men received a prayer card, said Cedar Crest spokesman Tony Ciavolella.

He said one couple in particular stood out amongst the group members: John and Anne Dietz, who were honored for their 75th wedding anniversary, which they’ll celebrate in August.

“At a time when 40 to 50 percent of all marriages fail, recognizing marriages that last 50 years-plus is wonderful,” Ciavolella said. “And to recognize the Dietzes’ anniversary… it’s a fantastic event.”

Ciavolella said that if all the years of marriage between all 27 couples were totaled up, it would be nearly 1,400 years.

The Mass and the ceremonies were conducted by Father Francis Kelly, the associate priest who provides the Catholic Mass at the community.

–Steve Janoski